


The Heart's Curse

by PlaguedParadox



Category: Who Killed Markiplier? (Web Series), markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Abandoned building exploration, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Werecreatures, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Character Death, Character Turned Into Vampire, Damien is a bit of a stalker, Eventual Romance, F/M, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Loving Marriage, Narrator is opinionated, POV Third Person, Past Character Death, Reader has a set nickname, Reader is Reincarnated, Reader is a detective, Reader is not the DA, Reader-Insert, Romance, Slow Burn, Stalking, Swearing, Vampires, Werewolf, William and Celine never hooked up, but he means well
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-07-19
Packaged: 2020-01-06 22:25:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18397568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlaguedParadox/pseuds/PlaguedParadox
Summary: Once upon a time, an odd series of tragedies befell the kind Mayor Damien and his wife. First, the mayor went missing after visiting his sister and a dear friend for a party. A few days later his wife met a horrible end as her life was cut short in a simple accident at home.Now it's 90 years later from then and a detective for the local police department is experiencing odd occurrences after trying to find an abandoned place to explore. There's a stalker in the city and the citizens are dropping like blood drained flies but things aren't as simple as a murderer, never is in a city forgotten by time.





	1. Prologue

Silence. It was something that deeply gripped the cold, dark manor on the top of the overgrown hill that was a decent length away from the old city that bustled with life, making the deathly silence of the estate that much more noticeable for the suited man that currently paced its grounds. Stifled curses left his lips as he tried his best to keep to the invisible path that his sister had mentioned to him. The heat of the summer day felt blistering against his paling skin, he could barely work up enough of a sweat to keep himself cool and the twisting path of shadows created by the trees that loomed above him were barely of any help. Confusion wracked his head as he tried to think of the reason why he was out there, on the near wild hill that contained his friend’s grand mansion, when he could have been in the comfort of his own home and in the arms of his lovely wife. 

Oh, his lovely wife. He could think about her forever and still never be able to sum up just how much he loved her. Just the mere thought of her brought a bright grin on his lips and what was meant to be a blush onto his cheeks but no heat rose to the skin. He did well to keep to the shadows of the long, seemingly decaying trees even if it was becoming increasingly difficult as they became more and more scattered near the bottom of the forest. Only a few steps until he was out of the forest and just a small walk away from being in the city he called home, and from there he could easily ask for a ride to his home. But he couldn’t bring himself to cross the invisible barrier. Not even with how much he wanted to get to her, to see her smile, to feel her skin against his. Disgust filled him as he remembered that their last interaction was an argument. She didn’t want him to go, she had something to tell him, she was going to wait for him. Now he didn’t know how long she’d have to wait.

A gulp left his lips, his hands shaking as he tried to force his body past the line but he had no luck. Another curse slipped out of him as tears began to collect but he couldn’t tell if it was out of frustration, pain or sadness. Moments went by before he gave up trying to enter the city boundaries, the heat becoming far too much for his malfunctioning body to handle. The trek back to the manor was long and tedious, the man felt stupid for leaving the building while wearing a full blown suit but he hadn’t prepared any other clothes. He didn’t think he’d be visiting for so long, it was just meant to be a simple poker party. An olive branch to old friends that were left behind for whatever reason. The man was beginning to understand as his legs weakened, wobbled and eventually began to trip him up, forcing him to end up dangerously near the edge of the path. A yelp and hiss quickly left his lips as he finally collapsed to the ground, exhaustion finally hitting him just like he hit the ground. Another, larger yelp left him again as a burning sensation began to flood his hand, ripping his attention to the edge of the shadows in front of him, sun beaming down on the back of his pale hand. The burning was beginning to grow but exhaustion kept him down. He could barely move. 

Clicking of heels drawing near alerting him to his sister’s presence and he would have greeted her, just to be polite but he was left just laying there. His sister was gracious enough to pull his hand out of the sunlight before beginning the childish mocking that he loathed.  “Brother, why are you lying on the ground?” Saccharine voice that he was so used to fluttered out of her, playing the innocent girl act that she had perfected years ago. “Come on now, let’s get you something to drink.” Pretending to be a wonderful citizen, a wonderful person, just like she was taught. He could always see right through that innocent looking smile and see the cunning, mocking smirk that it hid. The man wanted to protest, to yell at her for doing this to him, to just give him enough so he could go home, but as she scooped him up effortlessly, it became more than apparent that he wasn’t going anywhere. Not until the so called loving couple of the dying manor gave him permission.

The most he could do was hope that he’d at least see his wife again.

On the other side of the city in a bright, warm house that was coated in fresh paint and clean brick being illuminated by the sun that had just begun to set, a somber tone of hushed whispers fluttered among those who had heard the heated words, felt the slam of the polished oak front door, and now witnessed the pining of the only head of the house that was currently home. It had only been a few days since the master of the place had made his dramatic exit but it had done more than taken its toll on the wife. Huddled away in his office, wrapped up in his dressing gown and just taking in his scent. Ignoring the pains that were becoming far too intense to handle but stubbornness kept her from moving. She told him that she wasn’t going to eat until he would come back. The poor woman had bet that he loved her more than he cared about attending some silly party, he could have visited them anytime after all, but she had been on the losing side as he yelled in her face about it. Tears slid down her face as she remembered the hurtful words that his angelic voice spoke and recalling them almost made her want to pull the thin gold band that was wrapped around her finger and give in to the need to eat. He had been gone so long now, longer than she thought it would take and she knew it would harm her in the long run if she kept this up but she wanted to prove a point. Arms began to wrap around her still flat stomach, a sad smile on her face.

If her actions didn’t cause a problem then the stress of it all certainly would, but she tried to shrug it off. It would only be another day or so and he’d be back. She was sure of it. Her husband wouldn’t have abandoned her, would he? He seemed to adore her, even being by her side whenever work didn’t pull him away.

Exhaustion finally yanked the last of the frayed strings of consciousness away from her, pain aiding in the pulling, as her head began to fall towards the solid wooden desk that held her love’s paperwork. Her last conscious thought being of her love. A horrible thud, followed by a sickening crack and split called to the whispering voices and brought their attention to the office, one of the maids rushed towards the room, asking the lady of the house if she was okay, panic coating her words as some of the other staff followed cautiously behind her, nerves getting the better of them as a horrid feeling crept across the usually comforting home. Despite being ahead of the group, it took the woman a moment to collect her nerves before she opened the door, eyes becoming wide and complete horror crossed her face as she noticed the wife on the floor, a pool of red liquid slowly staining the cream carpet. The master’s regularly used round, heavy paperweight nearby but covered in the same deep red liquid.


	2. Odd Email

A groan left a tired woman’s mouth as her arms lept over her head in a weak attempt to stretch the sleepiness away, alarm clock blaring in the background but the sound was barely registered by her ears as her legs swung over the edge of the small, stiff bed lazily. The woman didn’t even lift her head as she stumbled her way into the cramped bathroom that was adjacent to her tiny bedroom. A budget flat to out cheap any other. That’s how the neighbours described it if she could recall correctly but she didn’t care, she didn’t need much room and she was rarely there longer than she needed to be. Her reckless hobby and dangerous job typically kept her busy, she didn’t see her hobby as reckless or her job as dangerous but apparently everyone else did. It seemed like humans were designed to judge and nitpick everything that someone did, but that in itself is a judgement. A yawn wracked through and shook the woman but it didn’t bother her as she continued to run her hand through her hair as a lackluster attempt to comb it while her other hand worked to move the toothbrush into the needed places.

After a quick shower, the woman determined that she was clean enough and briskly power walked back to the bedroom to collect some clothes for the day ahead of her, trying her best to ignore the cold that now attacked her body. One benefit to saving money on where to live is that she could spend extra money on a decent AC unit which she was more than happy with as it beat the intense Californian heat. Choosing an outfit was a simple enough task, she mostly wore jeans and shirts with an old leather coat over it. It wasn’t flashy, much like most things in her life but she didn’t care, the clothes were cheap, easy to replace or repair and above all they were practical and that’s exactly what she needed. A quick check of her phone, slipping on her socks, shoes and a quick slip of her backpack and she was ready to leave and venture off into the sleepy little city she called home.

The city of Holden was quiet, just like it always was. Shops never seemed to contained more than a handful of people, parks rarely were noisy with the laughter of children, streets were usually empty aside from the odd person going from location to location. Cars hardly drove on the roads unless people were coming into the city or out again. The place was quiet and closed off from the rest of California apart from a single road that connected it to the nearest freeway, the rest of the area was like that too. Basics were there but that was it. There was a hospital, there was a fire station and there was a police station but no train station. There were a couple of cafes, a pharmacy or two but no fast food places that showed that major corporations had noticed a free spot. It seemed to be forgotten by the world and left behind by time, nothing looked modern and most buildings had been abandoned, roofs becoming rubble and the insides becoming decrepit due to a lack of maintenance. It made the wandering woman uncomfortable at first, the feeling of dread and a serious case of feeling misplaced was what she encountered when she first arrived after getting a transfer due to an unfortunate series of events in her personal life. 

It took about half a year for her to even feel relaxed enough to walk around without something to protect her, but the feeling of being misplaced remained even in the present. The bag on her back felt slightly heavy, the exploration equipment digging into her back, the mild pain grounding her as she made her way across the cracked pavement, trying to avoid tripping over on any of the larger chunks of slab that jutted out because no one would fix it. Scanning the area around, she scouted out her next target, her next adventure. The woman loved exploring, specifically old and abandoned buildings, finding all the interesting little things that previous explorers left behind and all the things that were forgotten when the building was left for nature to claim. Her current favourite was the old town hall, long since abandoned after a mayor and his wife met unfortunate fates or so the story went, as it was very much like the town - stuck in time - because nothing was removed, all the furniture and old paperwork was there as if they just all up and left and never turned back. The current town hall was in a renovated building that used to be a hotel but as they didn’t get many visitors, it was decided that the building was of more use if it was converted.

Chills rushed down the woman’s spine as she found herself on a side of town that she had failed to properly map out in her head. The buildings on this side of town were almost completely abandoned, small streaks of colour of old graffiti poked out from the vine covered bricks. The vines and broken buildings became worse and worse the further down the street you went, the sense of dread the town held seemed to thicken as the plants that held onto the buildings seemed to be more dead and decaying with every metre and the road began to narrow until it lead to a single dirt path on the bottom of a huge overgrown hill that was surrounded by a huge dead forest, decaying brambles and thorns littered the ground making it feel as if life was being sucked out of the land. Now nervous, the woman’s eyes began to scan the area and eventually landed on the huge shady manor on the very top of the hill, old rusty fencing surrounded the base perimeter of the building but that was the most she was able to make out from the distance. 

Normally, she’d jump at the chance to enter a possible exploration goldmine but with a place that seemed to scream death, something she wasn’t unfamiliar with, she wasn’t going to head into it alone. Her eyes scanned the area again, noticing a heavy, wispy fog begin to pull in that somehow made the scene go from something creepy to something that looked like it was pulled out of Silent Hill. A sight that quickly made the woman backup but any attempts to head back were put to a stop as the thick cloud now surrounded the street the woman stood just on the edge of, feet barely toeing at the broken up dirt path. There was something about being stuck in such opaque fog that always made it seem as if there was a creature or person lurking around, watching you, somehow able to see you even if you couldn’t see it. Now, normally such a feeling can easily be explained as paranoia, an inherent instinct to keep yourself safe which was perfectly reasonable. What wasn’t reasonable, however, was seeing something, a shadow, running around just in the distance. It didn’t make a sound, not a single crack or snap of dead branches or twigs even though the ground was littered. A gulp bobbed the throat of the usually brave explorer, she couldn’t bring herself to head back down the street that she had come from, couldn’t bring herself to get herself back to the little bit of civilisation that the vintage city had to offer. “Who’s there?!” She couldn’t even stop herself from calling out, a need to break the deafening silence. SNAP! It sounded off  just to the side of her, causing her to jump and face that way. “This is fucking ridiculous…” Muttered words left her lips as the explorer’s body finally allowed her to move back towards the street, but it was slow and suddenly the figure was standing only a distance away from her. From what she could tell, it looked human even if it’s head was almost at a complete right angle that must have been a huge pain in the neck. All it took was a single blink for the figure to disappear and the woman hightailed it out of there, sprinting down the road to try and escape the fog. Road widening, buildings becoming less and less destroyed, plants becoming greener and greener before disappearing from the buildings at al and then finally, just as she hit the end of the street and a corner of another, the fog simply ended. It didn’t tail off, there wasn’t any gradient where it went from thick to not as thick. It just ended.

Whipping out her phone, she quickly took a picture of the weird piece of nature before continuing her sprint back to the parts of the city she could easily recall, eventually slowing down at the police station, her home away from home. A sigh of relief escaped her as she rushed inside, shocking the receptionist that was on duty. Amy, she believed the woman’s name was. She never really could remember, her memory was terrible. The explorer greeted her before walking deeper into the station, seeking out her desk which was settled next to an AC, luckily enough for her. Being off duty didn’t mean she couldn’t come in and sit down, sort out any reports that were left to be done as the shortage of crime left her off duty most of the time. There weren’t very many people working in the station, she was one detective out of two, not that he ever came in. The female didn’t even know the other detective’s name and none of the others knew either so unfortunately if he ever did turn up, she couldn’t act as if she knew him. With little care, she plopped down onto her chair and turned on the bulky computer, the only updated things being the internals and software but the huge monitor and computer case were kept the same for some odd reason. Perhaps it was to save money as the station shared a budget with the other emergency services but the female detective felt that due to the fact that all of those services had a small staff number that they must have kept to the budget easily enough. Typing in her login details, she noticed an email notification almost immediately after her account loaded in. It wasn’t unusual for a detective to have unread emails after they’ve logged in on a new day but this was a dying city with only two detectives, a handful of officers and basically no crime. That and close to no one had her work email, everyone just sent things to her private one. Now, she was a professional that had a good sense of caution once she was in a working state of mind, safety was paramount for any police member and she made sure to keep herself nothing but safe when she was in detective mode. The calls of curiosity battled against the natural instinct of self preservation but the detective was human so obviously she was going to read it even despite any possible consequences.

 

To: detective#2@hpd.com

From: always@yours.com

Subject: <Empty>

 

My dearest,

It has been an awfully long time since I have been able to gaze upon your heavenly face. Just being able to be so close to you was enough to put my aching heart at peace. I am unfamiliar with the device that I am forced to use to write letters to you, apparently mere paper and pens are no longer good enough. I am deeply sorry for the fact I have no yet returned home, even more so that the last words you heard me speak to you were so vile. My anger is not to be tested, we both know that but it is no excuse. One of my vows was that I would NEVER hurt you and I did that very thing with my voice. 

I have some questions for you, however. Feel free to completely ignore them, that is entirely acceptable but it mayhaps aid us in communicating? I am unsure but it would be best if we at the very least try. My questions are as follows;

Why did you run away from me?

You seemed to have change your hairstyle, I like it! But that is another ‘why?’

Why did it take you so long to try and come to me?

I shall leave the questions there. Give you a chance to break and all.

Yours, always.

D.

P.S. Colonel says hi, and asks if you like that picture you took of me. Not that I saw a camera.

 

Chills were running down her spine once again, it was odd email to say the least, even if her mind was trying to explain it as a prank she still found her hand slipping into her pocket and pulling out her little black phone, tapping her away her long password that was more muscle memory than something she truly knew. The female detective only hesitated when she stared at the gallery icon that flashed on her phone, her eyes flickering between it and the background image of her and her exploration crew, a group of fellow emergency service members who just liked to check out old, abandoned places in their spare time. A gentle smile curled her lips as she began to remember some of the adventures that they had together, seeing the smiling faces of her friends brought her to ease as she allowed her thumb to tap on the app icon before selecting the camera folder. She expected the front picture to be a mass of white, cut off by the corners of old homes but it wasn’t. It seemed to be a clear picture of the street with something dark in the middle. Tapping on the picture was something she regretted as she came face to face with the silhouette of a man, far more closer to her than she’d have liked. Just a few metres away. She could just about make out a smile on the man’s deathly pale face. What really unnerved her, however, was the fact he was reaching for her, and running. Running at her. And now he was emailing her.

Time seemed to crawl to a slow stop as she rushed to the restroom and began to heave heavily into the first thing she could grab which was luckily a sink. Nausea coated her senses as bile began to rise up her throat, burning along the way. A groan left her lips as she gazed down at the now discoloured sink, just the look of it made her want to gag again but the pain that scorched her esophagus warned her against it. A weak melody of cough soon followed, muffled by her hand wrapping around her mouth in an attempt to silence the sounds.The detective didn’t want her the officers to come and check up on her, knowing she’d probably be scolding or mocked for having such a reaction at something that anyone on the outside would see as nothing more than a simple prank. More coughs shook her body as she cleared away the foul gunk from skin and sink, a dirty job but it was her mess to clean up. Once her breathing had calmed down and no more coughs seemed to bubble up was when she decided to leave the restroom and head back to her desk, picking up the phone she had dropped. Her eyes gazed back to it, the man no longer there as thick white fog filled the picture only being cut off by the corners of buildings from the attached street. Perhaps she had just been imagining it. She was going on only about a single hour of sleep, she reasoned.    


Calm swept across the station as the clock ticked on, the sun rising higher and higher into the sky before it began making its colourful and graceful fall back down until it barely lit the office space from a single window, most light in the room now being provided by the humming, weak LED lights that were way overdue for being replaced, yet another thing reflecting the state of the city the detective was starting to call home. Even if she was awake all day, and practically all night which was far from the healthiest thing on top of the other parts of her life, the sun dipping into the horizon and painting the sky with the various hues of a warm daydream was her favourite time. The detective typed away on the old, clunky keyboard that let out a sound that she loved, preferring keyboards that actually had a sound to them than the modern ones which were so thin and silent to the point she barely felt as if she actually pressed down on the keys. There was a weekly report that she was asked to fill in and the most she could type out was a few incidents of drifters tagging a few buildings and a single burglary that happened thanks to one of the said drifters, she still had a word count to work with so she spent most of the time looking up synonyms of various words and going out of her way to writing down almost every single little detail she could recall just so she could pack out what should have been barely just a few paragraphs. But, despite her best attempts to drag out the time, eventually she couldn’t edit or tweak the report anymore and she was left with nothing more to do. Well, she could always try to reply to the email as there was a good chance it was still a prank as drifters came in a huge variety, from said prankers to vandals and wannabe crooks. Creepiness aside. Maybe the fog really did make her sleepy brain paranoid. With a deep breath to ease any remaining nerves, she began to type.

 

To: always@yours.com

From: detective#2@hpd.com

Subject: Um… hi?

 

Hello... Mr D?

Um, I have no idea who you are or what you’re talking about really. You might want to check the email address, I’m a detective and it’s my work email that you sent this to. Tell me if I’m out of order but if you left an argument like that then I suggest you try and get it sorted. Never a good idea to leave an argument unresolved. Anyway, I’ll answer your questions! I have a decent bit of free time at the moment so I don’t mind taking some of it up for them. Also, about the picture? I mean, I’ve taken one recently but it’s just of some super thick fog. No person to be seen in it. 

Anyway…

**Why did you run away from me?**

I… didn’t…? Seriously, what did you say for that person to run away from you on sight?

**You seemed to have change your hairstyle, I like it! But that is another ‘why?’**

I keep my hair in hairstyles that are practical and don’t get in the way of my work or exploration. Maybe they do the same?

**Why did it take you so long to try and come to me?**

Maybe they were upset still? Or maybe they were unsure of when you’d be calm enough? You did mention having a nasty temper, right? Maybe you should see someone about that.

Sincerely, 

The detective you emailed.

 

And send.

Sighing, she knew that there was almost no way that someone would email back as she gazed at the sky becoming darker and darker, losing the warm colours and becoming full of deep and vibrant blues. The detective took a moment before deciding to log out and slide on her backpack, the heavy equipment digging into her back and grounding her. The trek back home took as long as she possibly could, sleeping was far too painful for her and she hated every moment of it. Echos of the smell of blood and muffled angry shouts were seared into the back of her mind, a place that was brought forth any time her eyes closed for just a moment too long and it was followed by a piercing pain that seemed to coat the top and back of her head, and she swore she could feel blood slowly trickle down her neck but whenever she’d pull her hand back after dragging it across the skin, there was nothing. A shake of her head pulled her back to reality, instead of focusing on the nightmares to come. Trauma, the doctor had called it. Something that was bound to happen if you got into a terrifying situation. She just wished that she could convince her current doctor that she needed sleep meds otherwise the nightmares would wake her but their views were just as ancient as the abandoned town hall that sat in the heart of the city, just a couple of blocks away from the police station and it was along the route to get back to her apartment. 

Tonight was going to suck.


	3. Bro Friend

High pitched screeching from the half broken alarm clock yanked the detective from a cold sweat inducing nightmare, memories more broken than the clock still playing in her head as she tried to push herself through her morning routine. A groan, a stretch, a walk to the bathroom for relief, and a clean before rushing back to the cold bedroom and changing into her everyday clothes. A routine she used just as an attempt to feel normal. As if she ever could. Grabbing her phone, she checked the time. 6:45AM. A hiss slipped through her teeth, she had gotten a few hours sleep and exhaustion was already present, not to mention the familiar sensation of hunger pains that were beginning to show due to her forgetting to eat the day before. She was a mess to say the least. Everyone close to her knew it but they were too far away to try an stop her self destructive behaviour. Her steps were slow as she made her way to main living area where the kitchen was attached. It wasn’t anything to talk about and if she was honest, she’d compare it to the apartment in Silent Hill 4. 

The dated refrigerator took more than a decent tug to yank open, the hinges stuck constantly but at least the seal was intact and it kept things cold. That was a plus. Inside was actually a decent stock of food despite her often lack of eating, she actually enjoyed food and enjoyed cooking food even more. There was something so peaceful and homely about cooking some simple comfort food, especially if there was someone to cook for. Shaking off the veil of loneliness that tried to wrap itself around her, she pulled out some veggies, placing them on the side before grabbing what she needed from the cupboards. A nice and easy veggie stir fry was calling her name and she could practically feel her stomach rejoice just at the thought of being able to eat something. She had just managed to plate up the food when the delicate chime of the notification tone on her phone sounded off, a groan just about leaving her lips before being hushed and shoveling the stir fry down her throat as she carried the bowl to the bedroom where she had left the device that chimed for her attention.

The notification icon alerted her to the fact that someone had been messaging her, she didn’t even need to check the name to know who it was. He was the only one who texted like that. The detective chuckled at the name, as always, that he had put in himself. She wasn’t going to complain though, he was the only one in her group that went out of his way to keep contact with her even with all of his own personal troubles, claiming that because they were both going through one hell of a rough patch that they should stick together and be each other’s shoulder to lean on. She couldn’t apologise enough when she told him she was moving away.

 

Chaseyboi: sup! 

Chaseyboi: we gonna check out some places some time ???  

Chaseyboi: i miss u :’(

 

She playfully rolled her eyes at his way of typing, despite being older than her he still typed like a teen. He acted like a teen half the time too. But that was a part of her friend’s charm. 

 

You: I miss you too, Chase. I’d love to go exploring with you again and you know that! <3

You: I’m not entirely sure where though.

You: I’ve seen almost every abandoned building in Holden and I gotta tell ya, it’s all pretty cut and paste. There’s only one place I can think of that would be fun to look around in and its…

You: Well…

 

The woman hesitated. She became massively creeped out by the manor on the hill and the way everything around it seemed to be lacking life but the call of curiosity made her want to go up there anyway. A group was going to be needed for her to be comfortable however. 

 

Chaseyboi: its what ???

You: It’s a large manor and it’s creepy as hell. So it would be a group job.

Chaseyboi: i’ll c what i can do

Chaseyboi: it shouldn’t b too difficult 2 get some people 2gether for an xplor8ion l8r 2day.

You: Seriously, why do you type like that?

Chaseyboi: idk idc ;P

You: Pfft

You: Go get the group together and to Holden then you goof

You: I’ll see you later today

Chaseyboi: yeye

 

Chuckles slipped out of her as she reread what the man had written, a part of her not really believing that he actually took the time to type that out. He definitely had a Blackberry when he was younger, she determined.It didn’t impact their friendship in any way, in fact she found his method of typing amusing most of the time and a tiny bit of a headache the rest of the time. The woman quickly checked through the rest of her phone, sweeping through and clearing any notifications from her current contact with the outside world. Now to waste time. There was no need to head into work, not with the fact that she’d just be sent a message if she was needed and she was rarely needed due to the lack of major crimes. She was there to help with any of the possible what if scenarios that could happen. The detective went through a mental list of all the possible things she could do to waste time but she was quick to cross almost all of the items off of it. Her bag didn’t need packing as it was still prepared from yesterday’s failed exploration attempt. She had just eaten. Her usual morning routine essentially streamlined what she needed to do so she didn’t need to spend an hour in the shower. The number of friends she had in the city was a big fat zero. The lack of shops meant that there was no point. Her lack of furnishing the apartment left it without any books and gaming consoles. No need to scout out an exploration site when one was already planned. So she had a long battery life on her phone she had no games on it and only a few social media apps to keep in contact with old friends and coworkers. And the only computer she had use of was the one at the station. 

Recollection swam across her mind and compelled her to open up the email app on her phone and adding her work email as an account. Nerves began to creep up on her as she noticed she had not one but two new emails, one from the previous guy and one from a new person entirely unless the guy made another account. If that was the case, she didn’t know if she had accidentally gotten involved in an ARG or this dude was just committed to fucking with her. Her instincts told her to check the emails out, there was no way for them to know that she read them so she was safe like that. Curiosity was definitely toying with this cat. First things first, she needed to check what D had said.

 

To: detective#2@hpd.com

From: always@yours.com

Subject: RE: Um… hi?

 

Dearest, 

Now, I am not all too caught up with modern technology but the Colonel is. Him and one of Mark’s other friends have made sure that this is the right address. I am  very much trying to talk to you. And I know that you are a detective, William told me as much! It is surprising that you have such a dangerous job, my love, as you have always been a safety conscious person. Then again it has been far too long since we have seen each other so mayhaps time has changed that fact about you. It certainly hasn’t stolen your beauty like it does with everyone else. I wonder if it is possible that you have forgotten about me? As much as my heart aches at the notion, I would not blame you. Oh, how you must have hated me in that moment when I chose a party over the love of my life. But, we cannot go back and change that. Practicality suits you well, my dear. No one I can see to deal with my anger, aside from you. Lamenting aside, I feel worse than death without you and your love. I tried to return home again but there was no luck on my side.

Forever yours,

D.

P.S. I know, I was in the fog.

 

Yeah, okay, he was totally fucking with her. There was no other possible explanation that she could come up with to explain it. Laughter stumbled out of her lips, any nerves dissipating greatly as she reasoned with herself, she felt so silly thinking it was anything other than someone pulling a fast one on her in a freaky part of town. The woman shook her head, there was no point in replying to the email at that point, even if it would take up more than a few minutes of her time, plus she could just do it later. The other email caught her attention, another address that she was unfamiliar with but this person seemed to have a grip with the subject line.  **You two need to see each other** read the subject, seemingly in reference to how D keeps going on about seeing her and wanting to see her again. Perhaps this was the Colonel that D had mentioned. There was an image attachment that seemed to beckon her to click on it. Before she could, however, she was interrupted with a tuneful knocking that fluttered from her front door. Light metallic groans left her bed as she threw herself off of it and practically ran to the door, nearly ripping it off of its hinges so she could get to her friend on the other side. “Chase!” A squeal left her as her friend lifted her up, spinning her around but slowly enough so she didn’t end up dizzy. A breathy laugh and ‘hi’ left him as he made his way to the cheap loveseat that was on the far edge of the room, tugging his usual hat off of lazily as he seemed to collapse on the seat. Chase seemed absolutely exhausted which was easy to explain as he managed to get to Holden rather quickly despite not being able to drive. “You were already on your way here, weren’t you? Do you know how out of reach this place is? How’d you get here anyway?” 

The tired man groaned lazily as he tried to reach for his tattered, almost decade old bag which had fallen from his shoulder halfway into the room. “Don’t even get me started, Bambi. Do ya know how difficult it was to find this place? Google couldn’t find it and it took nearly a week to find someone who had been here before! Why’d ya have to move to the middle of shit all nowhere?” It was difficult to believe that the Irish man in front of her was a father, well he was a father when his ex would actually let him and unfortunately for him that wasn’t often nowadays as she had almost completely cut him out of his children’s lives. Poor man was an emotional wreck over it, no matter how strong he tried to act. But, despite feeling sorry for the guy, the detective quickly became distracted with the nickname and had to ask about it. “Hm…? Oh, Bambi? It’s because you’re um… you’re a dear? Get it? Heh… God, that was awful… but Jack said it was good! I think he just likes bad puns.” He rambled off, but thanks to this nickname, it meant the poor narrator now had something to call the woman he was speaking to. Bambi gently shook her head before pacing to the kitchen and pouring the guy a glass of water and quickly handing it to him knowing how badly he needed it, and he proved as much by downing the glass of water almost as soon as it was in his hands. She sat down in the space left on the loveseat, making sure to give him some room so he could cool down easier. The pair sat in silence for a while, just enjoying the company of the other as it was something they hadn’t been able to do since before Bambi transferred to the sleepy city of Holden.

Bambi could easily remember how they met, it was ingrained into her mind due to how close they became. Even though they often met up and went exploring together, they actually met in hospital after she had gotten into an accident from an exploration and he needed to get his stomach pumped due to how much alcohol he had consumed. A depressive episode that luckily wasn’t common anymore as he focused on improving his exploration skills. It was her suggestion and she was surprised to find that he had taken it to heart when she spotted him amongst the group of a bunch of beginners that she had volunteered to teach. She could still recall the sombre look on his face when he first admitted to her why he ended up in hospital. 

They had started talking for only about ten minutes or so, from what Bambi could gather before either had checked the time and discovered that they had been talking for quite a lot longer. So long in fact that they now had to scramble to collect their things and meet up with the group that Chase had managed to gather together. The meeting point was at the base of the hill, beside one of the larger trees that seemed to be a common sitting spot for a murder of crows, those birds being the only noticeable wildlife in the area which aided the whole devoid of life feeling that possessed the land.The various individuals that Chase had manage to gather were complete strangers to him and his friend, the diverse group had been found through the easiest way he could possibly think of - a forum. It probably wasn’t the best or safest idea he had as one or multiple of them could have easily been serial killers but it was the most he could do as he had run out of credit by the time he had finished speaking to Bambi and the only thing he had left was internet. The two shared a look before Bambi spoke out to the small crowd, reminding them of general safety rules, asking if they had the correct equipment and told them to wait at the huge metal gates if they wanted to stop or have a break as well as the buddy rule and to let someone know if you’re leaving the mansion.The buddy rule being more of an excuse to have Chase by her side even if he had a tendency to walk off on his own.They had a time limit so they weren’t stumbling around the most likely falling apart manor in the dark, so with time ticking on they began to make the walk up the steep hill.

Okay, so steep was rather an understatement in Bambi’s mind. Her heavy ground, the scorching sun and the loose ground made the climb even more unbearable than she had imagined, Chase’s constant complaining wasn’t helping but luckily for them, they were close to the metal gate so could have a break. Before they even started. They weren’t the only one’s panting and cursing at the Californian heat, but morale had no dropped as there jokes were passed around much like a couple bottles of water. It reminded Bambi of her time working as an officer, a group of people with the same complaints but all still smiling and getting along anyway and the reminder made her smile. She missed her old police department but the quiet but friendly Holden PD was a nice change of pace considering her recent history. Out of the blue, a hand touched her shoulder which caused her to flinch harshly and back away, breathing heavy as her mind tried to snap her out of the sudden flashback, she turned to look at who touched her to see a concerned Chase with a knowing pity in his eyes. A small gesture, his head tilting and nodding towards the mansion, and they were off.Climbing the large gate, an easy task compared to the hike they just had to do, and making their way to the manor by going across the large front garden that was just as dead as the forest before it. The manor was different from the buildings of the street it overlooked, it seemed as if the invasive vines avoided the place entirely or couldn’t even stay alive long enough to sprout. 

Unanimously, it was decided that the best idea was to scout the grounds out before heading into the building, more of a safety measure in case there was already people in there but Bambi also appreciate it as it would give her a sense of scale so she could estimate how many trips it would take until the place was fully explored. The journey to the massive back garden was a quick one, Chase took notice of the bone dry pool while his friend was more focused on the back of the building. It was oddly familiar, far away laughter, voices and the clinking of glasses swarmed her mind and for a moment she swore she could feel what she could only assume was an arm wrap around her waist as if it was to hold her and pull her close but there was no arm and Chase was too far away to even touch her as his attention was now on what seemed to be a small golf area. Bambi shivered as what looked like phantoms of people talking and it seemed as if she was caught in a ghostly social gathering. Her eyes wandered around aimlessly as the feeling of being watched washed up on her, attention now being drawn to a window upstairs and the curtain that was somehow blowing with a breeze that could not possibly be in there as there were no holes and all windows and doors were shut. It was reasonable that it was a gust from a chimney but something in her told her it wasn’t it.The detective felt the familiar sense of nausea sweep past her as her feet slowly began moving backwards, her instincts making sure she was a good distance from any perceived threat. To anyone else, she would have looked silly but Chase watched his friend react, an unseen upset and anger etched into his face. He was going to seriously hurt the person who made her like this. But, for now, he had to distract her. “Shall we head in now? Nothing much more to see other than a bunch of dried up plants.” Softly went his voice as he made his way over and gently took her hand, snapping her out of the horrified trance that gripped her, her hand squeezed his slightly as she turned to him and nodded before tugging him back to the front to meet with the rest of the group.

 

And with a deep breath, it was time to explore.


	4. Unwanted Reunions

Creaks and groans filled the air as the stiff front door slowly shuddered open as if it was complaining about having to move after nearly a century of rest, it was a surprise that it opened at all with the fact it took multiple people to even get it to budge. The inside of the large building was coated with dust, which was to be expected, the furniture that cool be seen in the entrance way was almost completely greyed out on the tops which made it a death trap for those with lung problems. Bambi and Chase were the last pair to cross the threshold, and they were glad about it as the heavy, dust filled air gave the once forgotten building an oppressive feeling which brought a chill down the spines of the duo. Everyone quickly went their own ways, spreading out to different parts of the manor. They would explore their part and then move on. Chase elected to explore upstairs as most of the group chose downstairs and he knew things would get crowded in the smaller rooms that the place might of had. The pair began to check through the rooms but most of them seemed like dust filled bedrooms, aside from the couple of bathrooms that stunk of metal and rot, and eventually only a couple of rooms were left. One was most likely the master bedroom as they had yet to find it and one was a room that, with an educated guess, was probably another bedroom as the manor had plenty. A quick game of rock, paper, scissors and Bambi made her way to a room that was off to the side while Chase took the other which was at a further wall, and after a count of three she opened the door.

Well lived in, that’s what she could best describe the state of the room, with old, wrinkled but rather formal looking clothes thrown about on the floor, a cane resting against the back wall by the bed, the bedding thrown about as well and tons of sheets of paper littered what seemed to be a haphazardly thrown together desk. Despite the chaos, nothing seemed to scream out that there had been a fight. Nothing was broken, the only things on the floor was clothes but that was mostly contained to a single corner even if it did seem as if it was trying to invade the rest of the room and furniture was upright. The room seemed to be messy solely because the person didn’t care to clean it. Bambi cautiously made her way over to the DIY desk, the papers catching her attention more and more with each single step. The sheets had yellowed with age and started to decay around the edges but the writing was still somewhat legible. Her eyes scanned across the aged sheets, reading the words that seemed to range from love letters with a person addressed to diary entries from someone wishing for escape and even wishing for someone to end their pain which made Bambi’s heart clench the more she read. Her fingers brushed gently across the signed name on one the seemingly thousands of love letters that sat across the wood.  _ Damien. _ The name echoed in her mind as she read over more of the seemingly endless pages, eyes grazing over the countless words that ranged from blazing passion and unconditional love to immense sorrow and heart wrenching agony. He certainly had a way with his words she thought as tears slowly slipped down her face, the salty water dripping onto said words. She felt ridiculous mourning a man she never met but that didn’t stop the water leaving her eyes.

“Don’t cry, my love.” Bambi practically shrieked as the sound of a male speaking reached her ears, she could feel her heart pounding against her rib cage. She tried to reason why someone was talking to her, that it was one of the group members but her heart told her otherwise. Arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her backwards into the person’s hard chest. “I am so glad to see you. Did you miss me?  I missed you, very much,” the voice cooed. Cold fingers brushing against one of her cheeks as an attempt to brush away the tears that refused to stop, stubble gently scratching the side of her neck as whoever it was laid their head in the crook. Bambi could only guess what was going on, hoping this was just a prank. A small plan by Chase to distract her, he had a history of playing tricks to try and change people’s moods. Slowly, Bambi gathered the courage to turn around. The man that held her was a complete stranger, familiarity swarmed around him however, as he smiled kindly down at her and patiently waited for her to react. The patience of a man who knows her. All she could really do was take a few steps back, her eyes refusing to stray from his face that fell as she moved away, his own eyes seemed to beg her to come back, to come closer but her feet would only move backwards. Thud. The shaking woman’s legs banged against the table behind her, a warning that there was no more backing up she could do, and it was clear that he noticed as he moved forward to be just a few inches away.

Thoughts raced through Bambi’s mind as she tried to come up with an excuse to move out of the view of the intense brown eyes that stared down at her. “W-wha…” She could barely breathe out as she tried to avoid his gaze, her eyes falling down to one of the many, many letters. “Damien…” Her voice whispered as her fingers lightly scratched at the ink, she barely noticed the happy chirp of a noise that left the man’s lips as her focus was still on the aged paper. A call of her name from an Irish lilt made her attention snap over to the door, her feet pulling her towards it and completely ignoring the man that was now pleading her not to leave him, not like he left her. The woman’s pace grew more frantic as the door drew nearer and nearer until she was sprinting out of the room and towards the sound of her friend. “Chase!” She called out, her arms immediately wrapping around the Irishman’s torso and pulling him into a tight hug. It felt like forever since she last saw him. His chest rumbled with a chuckle as he looked down at his best friend, not used to her being so affectionate but he wasn’t going to let the opportunity for a hug pass him by, his arms swooping down and wrapping around her just as tightly as her arms were around him, being extra careful to not bump the picture frame he was holding into her. 

The two held each other for a moment before pulling away, Chase immediately holding up the picture frame and pointing to the figures in the image the frame contained. “Look! This must have been who lived here! The one in a suit looks like Mayor Damien from the pictures at the old town hall,” He said while pointing specifically at an all too familiar face. A face that moments ago was just calling Bambi ‘love’. The woman gulped as her gaze scanned the group in the photo. She could recall the face of Damien easily, she explored the mayor’s office enough times and it was a nice place for her to go and relax when she didn’t want to spend time behind her own desk. The derelict building had his picture framed among the previous mayors that it had seen, that’s how the pair found out the mayor’s name. “Strange though… We know that the mayor only had a sister, a twin sister at that. So, why do the other fellas look the same as him?” His voice was thick with confusion, mirroring Bambi’s thoughts. Three faces all the same but they weren’t brothers. A sudden thought crossed her mind which causes her to turn towards the man and look at him as if he was an idiot, which could be a lot of the time.

“I dunno, Chase… Why do Henrik and Jack look like you?” She teased. Chase’s face grew flushed from embarrassment as he realised what she was hinting at. He hurriedly places the picture down and pulled her downstairs, muttering a small but high pitched ‘shut up’ as giggles left his friend’s lips.The pair raced into the living room, one of the larger rooms and began to look around with the other small groups, hand in hand as to not lose each other in the big house - or so Bambi justified, thoughts of the man from earlier still playing in her head.

Little did either of them know that they had an audience of one that watched them very intently, pale hands shaking violently as blood red eyes stared down at the pair of friends, not that Damien was aware that’s all they were. All he saw was his wife holding hands with another man. A man he didn’t know. Sharp fangs bit mercilessly into his bottom lip, ripping into the cold flesh like a knife through extremely soft butter. Flashes of crimson coated the man’s vision, misplaced anger coating every thought. So many years trapped in the manor had left all sense of time basically forgotten, it felt like barely a month had based even though his subconscious knew it had been an awfully lot longer. Parts of him screamed to calm down, that something was clearly wrong with his wife and that he needed to give her space but his temper engulfed and silenced the cries. He wasn’t going to let his wife replace him! Not over a stupid argument! Never. A heavy hand fell onto his shoulder and pulled him further into the shadows, most likely to scold him. Colonel Barnum was basically became his caretaker after what his big sister and brother-in-law did. 

“Careful now, old chap. You’ll get caught. Humans get rather flighty once they see the eyes, remember?” William made sure to speak slowly and carefully, not wanting to fuel the rage he could see in his best friend’s eyes. The scars adorning his body was already too much proof as to what his friend could now do when angry, and he didn’t want him hurting someone and regretting it. William cared far too much for the man, didn’t even let him know that he hurt him after the former mayor lost himself to the red mist. Plus, he could handle it - the beast inside of him made sure of that. “And, if I recall correctly, she’s already ran from you once. We can’t risk her running again, she could end up moving from town and then you’d really never see her again,” he continued to scold. His shoulders fell, relaxed, once he saw the red slowly fade from his friend’s usually calm brown eyes. “There… Now, let them have their fun… It’s harmless.” The old colonel hated having to be the voice of reason nowadays, but the small group wasn’t operating like it once was and roles were changed.  A part of him felt as if this was karma for not protecting them properly. 

The colonel, as I’m sure you know, was a man that was known for his eccentricities, brashness and his nasty habit for getting into trouble. Key word in that is he ‘was’. After one fateful night, he was forced to change from his reckless alpha male ways to being a patient protector, especially after a certain woman’s unfortunate demise thanks to a damn paperweight. The smell of her blood still clung to his nose while the image of her limp body had stained his mind.Whines left the beast inside him as he recalled that night, he had sneaked out of the manor upon Damien’s request, it was meant to be a small and quick thing but it became something so much worse. William just wanted to forget the whole thing but it’s all that seemed to replay in his mind as he bid goodbye to his friend who was now safely in a concealed area away from the explorers. His heavy, worn combat boots thumped across the ground as he hurriedly descended down the steep hill, his feet never seemingly carrying him fast enough as he weaved through broken streets and decayed alleyways. His legs only failed him once he reached his destination. THUD. The ground practically shook as he collapsed to the ground in front of a familiar rectangular stone. A couple of decades. That’s how long it had been since he last dared to visit.

Drops hit the earth beneath him, the soul darkening as it took in the liquid that had escaped from his eyes and ran down his face. Now yellow eyes scanned over the old lettering, unable to believe that he had allowed the words - her name - to fade like that. The dates of her birth and death was practically missing too, it only showed that she was about 27 when she passed away. William felt so selfish for prioritising his feelings over making sure her tombstone was fine, he was going to show Damien. Someday. Maybe. Well, there was no need now, was there? Damien saw a woman with her face, there’s no need to finally tell him the bad news when he could live in blissful ignorance. Calloused fingers brushed against the less damaged name, a frown deepening on his face. Why did he have to be the only one of the group burdened with his knowledge? Why him? If the sun wasn’t blasting down onto him, he could have sworn there was a rainstorm with how water stained his face had become.

Loathing filled his veins as he cleaned the old, crumbling tombstone. Someone had to do it. He was given a responsibility and he just hoped Damien was happy with his choice. William felt his heart squeeze as he recalled the once happy couple, he was the best man of the wedding and nearly lost the ring. Damien’s darling was an angel as she patiently helped him as he fumbled. A curse left his lips as he thought of her warmth, arms gripping the other as he yearned for her to hold him. William hated that the women he was attracted to were already married to his friends but he couldn’t help it. It’s not like he had the luck to find such beauties himself. Brown eyes gazed at the writing once more, disgust consuming him. “Fuck, I’m so pathetic…” His voice growled out, tears spilling out more. Surely she would have been alive if he had gotten there sooner, right? Her and Damien would have been happy then. Damien would turn her so they could be together forever and live with his sister and her husband. And William. Big happy family. The once military man scoffed at the thought as he kept clearing the weeds. Happiness for that family would have been possible if he didn’t fall in love with the married women within it, and if he didn’t act on his feelings for one of them. Celine made him regret it.

Buzzing stole his attention away from his brooding, his hand almost immediately pulling his phone out. Speak of the devil, his thoughts laughed.

 

Cel’s Cell: What’s with all these people in the manor? They woke Damien up!

 

You: I’m aware. Already got him into one of the hiding spots. They’re urban explorers, they see abandoned buildings and they find what others have left behind.

 

Cel’s Cell: Well that’s just ridiculous.

Cel’s Cell: Wait… why is SHE here?! HOW?! She would have died years ago!

Cel’s Cell: You didn’t turn her, did you?!

Cel’s Cell: Oh, I hope Damien hasn’t shown himself and freaked her out before I had a chance to explain.

 

You: What? No! She probably just shares her face! Anyway, Damien’s spooked her already. Remember his recent trip into the city that was cut short? He saw her.

 

Cel’s Cell: This is bad… Poor thing, probably the reincarnation of Damien’s wife. She most likely has no memories if that’s the case!

 

You: I don’t really believe in that stuff, you know that. Could be coincidence. Anyway, need anything?

 

Cel’s Cell: Maybe… But something is telling me otherwise. 

Cel’s Cell: Ah, yes! We’re running out of blood, please collect some? Damien’s thirst is getting worse, at least I think I know why now. 

Cel’s Cell: Awe! She made a cute Irish friend. He’s so protective of her.

 

William wanted to roll his eyes at her words, she always seemed to faun over her sister-in-law and the friends she made, never realising how those friendships made Damien insanely jealous like the possessive man he was. A part of him he was very talented at hiding. The old wolf just hoped that the Irish friend didn't meet the ex mayor's wrath like so many others - William included - had. 

A deep sigh left him as he pushed himself off of the ground, taking one last look at the words before turning around and going to collect some food for his friends.

 

Here lies

~~\-------~~   ~~\-------~~

Doting wife, wonderful friend

~~\--~~ / ~~\--~~ /1913 to ~~\--~~ / ~~\--~~ /1930

And 

Damien ~~\-----~~ Junior

Taken before having a chance

10/16/1930


	5. A New/Old Friendship

Everyone was more than exhausted as they parted ways at the end of the day. Thankfully, the heat had calmed down significantly as the moon began to slowly rise out of the horizon. Our protagonist chatted away happily to her friend as they descended down the hill, the rest of the day had been smooth sailing aside from the occasional feeling of being watched but it was a huge old mansion and there were a bunch of people walking around so it was easy to explain away unlike the man Bambi had ran in to. She couldn’t bring herself to mention him to Chase for some reason, perhaps out of fear that he’d freak out and storm back in there to confront the stranger. 

The group scattered once they all got back into town, some of them were planning to leave the place immediately and others discussing to stay a couple of days to explore some more. Chase had already stated to the group he was staying, and by staying he meant he would be having a lovely probably month-long sleepover with his best friend who stood right next to him but he made them think he was staying at a hotel or camping somewhere. 

It was just about midnight once the pair of friends got back to the tiny apartment. The single bedroom would have to be shared by the pair of them, and they knew that from their previous years of fighting about who sleeps where when it came to places with a single bed. Neither wanted the other to sleep on the couch, so they shared. It was fine by both of them, they didn’t have any romantic or sexual feelings for the other so nothing became awkward and they always woke up in a nice, cosy hug that helped to start the day off nicely. They were both cuddlers. Chase was the clingy type of affectionate while Bambi preferred smaller gestures, something about large gestures always made her panic as if it were to blow up in her face or the person being affectionate would soon turn hostile if she accepted it. Of course, most called her paranoid whenever she would air her thoughts out. Not her favourite Irishman though, never him, that’s what made him so special.  

Despite the never-ending stream of comfort and support that seemed to seep from Chase’s every pour, Bambi couldn’t sleep that night. Not even when he held her, her face buried into his chest and the calming repetitiveness of his beating heart surrounded her. She couldn’t sleep the next night either. Or the one after that. She was running on basically empty when it was time for him to head out of the country, back to England to help his friends over there with something. The amount she had to tell him that she was fine had gotten tedious. But not as much as the feeling she had felt for the month or so he was there. That damned feeling of being watched made her skin crawl. Bambi’s mind flickered back to the man in the manor. The inner fighter in her swore that if it was him she was going to seriously teach him a lesson. Foot to crotch, possibly multiple times. Tears were shed as Chase said his goodbyes, the pair had headed into LA for a small hangout day and then Chase had to fly home. 

“You sure you’ll be okay?” His voice broke through her thoughtless spacing out, causing her to look over at him confused so he repeated himself. The Irishman just had to make sure before he made his way into the plane.

Bambi quickly shook off the weird spaced out feeling so she could answer with a quick: “Yep!” The speed of which made him even more suspicious as he raised an eyebrow to question her. “Honestly, sometimes I just can’t sleep. I’ll try and get some help for it, I promise.” The false promise left her before she could stop it. The exhausted woman just didn’t want her dear friend to worry. Plus, it’s not like a little white lie would hurt him, she reasoned. And it wasn’t as if she hadn’t tried before. Shortly after that, Chase left with a childish smile and a wave leaving his energy drained friend to make the slow journey back home, the heavy blanket of loneliness being lobbed at her as she walked away from the gate. The month with Chase showed her just how lonely she was when he wasn’t around. “Ugh, I need to make friends…” She admitted to herself, but that wasn’t going to be an easy task. The citizens of Holden stuck to themselves and even though she had been there a while, she was still considered a stranger so they didn’t talk to her more than they had to.  

Not quite knowing what to do with herself, she began to pace around the outer parts of the town. This side of town was far away from the manor on the hill so Bambi wasn’t shaken up, if she had to go close to that place then she was sure her nerves would have been on edge just out of fear of running into that man again even if a small part of him wanted to go back to him. Patrol mode seemed to kick in as her eyes scanned up and down the streets she walked, keeping watch over familiar faces and making sure the not so familiar ones were behaving. This back side of Holden was where the more religious folk lived, close to the old cemetery which had seen better days. You didn’t need to enter the grounds to know that, it was obvious from a single glance.  If Holden was stuck in time then the cemetery was left to rot as no one looked after it, at all. Most of the tombstones had long since crumbled away, only the ones made of stronger stone stood the test of time. Her eyes grazed over the low wall, not expecting to see a soul. Feet dug into the concrete, forcing her to stop as she watched a man in the far corner of the cemetery who gently removed foliage away from one of the stones, his shoulders slumped as if he was still mourning. No one had been buried there within the last decade, most families preferred to bury them elsewhere as an excuse to leave the place. 

William sighed as he removed the rapidly growing weeds away from his friend’s tombstone. He really wished that it wasn’t just him taking care of it but he’d have to tell about it first. The air around the cemetery was as heavy as always and the smell of vegetation and earth didn’t make him feel any more at ease, his guard always raised just like he was taught. Tsk. It slipped out of his mouth before he could think, the irritating scent of new people in the town annoying him as he couldn’t tell if they were dangerous or not and he had been forbidden from fulfilling his natural role. He needed to patrol. He needed to protect. But he couldn’t be a cop, he wasn’t made to take orders. His moustache twitched against his nose as he took in the scent of the area once more, noticing familiar notes getting closer and closer. It made a currently nonexistent body part want to wag rapidly. Cautiously, his eyes shifted to look over towards the city and towards her curiosity engraved face.

After a small staring contest began, not that Bambi knew, William eventually relented and made his way over. Damien had already messed up his introduction so he hoped he could turn things around. If she was a reincarnation then she’d still like canines, and that would help him greatly. Especially with plan B. The ex-colonel’s hand raised to the air and waved hesitantly to the woman. “Hello there, madam! Not every day I see new faces on this side of town! Or any faces for that matter!” The moustached man’s slurred voice drifted into a light chuckle once he stopped in front of her. He hadn’t entirely realised that he had begun to walk near her, but it did give him a better chance to take in her scent. To make sure it was really her, he reasoned. “What’s your name then?” Faux curiosity coated his question which slipped out of his mouth after hearing a giggle leave her. Politely, she replied and he pretended to be ignorant. It was a name he had known for nearly a century, a name he called out happily upon seeing her face and a name that slipped out from between gritted teeth on heated, lonely nights. He could only hope it was really her. “I’m Will! I’m the volunteer groundskeeper. Always lovely to meet a member of the forces.” Small talk was uncomfortable no matter the situation but when you have to pretend to not know someone it was better to not delve into personal topics in case your knowledge of them slipped through. 

Of course, what he really wanted to do was jump into a mountain of questions. Do you know who I am? Do you know who you were? Do you remember that you were the librarian that made a local politician fall head over heels in love with just a few glances? Do you remember how close we used to be? But, of course, he couldn’t actually ask those as he’d probably look insane and he wanted to make a good impression. This wasn’t just a case of memory loss, and he couldn’t really treat it like such. 

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Will. What made you want to be a volunteer groundskeeper?” Bambi’s curiosity was in full swing now, wanting to use this great opportunity to make a new friend. Chase would be proud of her. Hopefully. In her opinion, it was nice to hear that someone willingly took care of such an old place, it was even better that the age was allowed to show - the constant need to restore the old ruined them in her eyes - as she was of the opinion of letting the old be old. She could see an odd sparkle that was in his eyes, and there was a sparkle in his eyes but she couldn’t see the love that already started to radiate from him. But, she was someone else’s mate. He couldn’t have her, he never could. Even if this was an entirely new person, Damien already had his eyes on her. Bambi’s eyes looked over her new acquaintance's appearance, she was slightly unnerved that he looked almost exactly like the guy from the manor. Large round glasses, warm skin and eyes, and his bushy moustache made him appear so much friendlier than the other guy though. The man’s entire aura just made her want to hug him. 

The Colonel gazed behind him to look at the far end of the field that held the secret he swore to keep. “Someone I knew died, her and her son. I promised myself that their shared grave wouldn’t crumble away like every other damn tombstone here. So, I come out here every now and again to clean their tombstone and neaten up the rest. Been trying to do it more regularly as of late,” he shrugged. Chills suddenly flooded down his spine, alerting him to the full moon that was rapidly approaching, even if it was a few days away but the chills helped him know that the sun was beginning to sink down into the horizon. “Huh, the night is nearly here. Didn’t realise I was cleaning for so long. Would you like to get a coffee? It’s been a while since I’ve been able to make a new friend.” It was a risky thing to spend time with her when Damien was constantly leaving the house to look for her, especially with the dark of night quickly trying to coat the city. If he saw, he could misinterpret William’s intentions. Bambi quickly accepted, obviously giddy.

And that’s what the pair did for the next few hours, talking while drinking coffee. Bambi being completely relaxed while her new friend was practically sweating from the heated glare that was being burned into the back of his skull. Damien had caught them. William excused himself from their current conversation, something about her time away from Holden. He had to set the situation straight.

 

You: Dames! Calm the hell down, I’m trying to befriend her. 

Dami: You shouldn’t have to ‘befriend’ her. You two are already friends!

You: She lost her memory, you daft bastard! Why do you think she ran?!

Dami: …

Dami: Oh.

 

Cue internal facepalming.

 

You: Oh? Oh?! You mean you couldn’t tell?!

Dami: She was in the room I usually take up, and she said my name so I thought…

You: And you didn’t notice the fact she hasn’t got a wedding ring on? Bloody… Just calm down. Let me win her over and see if I can jog any of her memories. Stay in the shadows for a bit longer.

Dami: But I want to hold my wife!

 

William had to physically stop himself from rolling his eyes at the possessive, stubborn man. But, he couldn’t be blamed as William wanted to hold Damien’s wife too, the beast inside reminded him. 

 

You: Right now, she doesn’t see herself as your wife! Leave her be. She’ll be yours soon, just give me time to help her realise. 

Dami: Invite her to the manor then, or the city hall, or our home. Oh, our home! I haven’t been there in so long…

You: I think your home would probably be best. Anyway, you need food, right? Go feed if you have to. I’ll protect her.

Dami: Thank you, Colonel.

 

A sigh of relief escaped him once he felt Damien’s presence leave the area. I’m so glad I taught him how to text, he thought to himself as he picked the conversation with his other old friend back up. Bambi was so different from the woman he once knew and yet, she was so much the same. The conversation naturally jumped from topic to topic to topic and they had found themselves talking about previous jobs as he walked her back to her apartment, giggles were thrown into the air at the discussion of first jobs and the mishaps that had happened. William spoke about a paper route he tried to do when he was a preteen, just to gather some change so he could buy things for himself only to find that his newspaper throwing was a bit too enthusiastic and he kept breaking things, mostly windows, but he rode his bike away too fast to even notice. Bambi ended up in a giggling fit at the faces he made as he spoke. She spoke about her time as a rookie officer, before becoming a detective, and that she was known in her first station as being extremely clumsy as she’d be so excited to work that she never paid attention to where she was going. The detective winced as she recalled the sensation of running face-first into a thick glass door. Her new friend had such a booming and contagious laughter that it made her giggling fit even worse. For a brief moment, she had forgotten that they had just met, there was something about him that just made it seem as if they had been friends forever.

The elder of the two took in the directions, mentally keeping a note of each turn and street name, even keeping a note of the apartment number she was in just in case she ever needed help. “Today was so much fun, madam! Shame we have to call it quits but I’m sure we both have work in the morning,” he muttered as he pulled her into a tight hug. William had made sure to give Bambi his number so if she wanted to, they could go for a drink again to get to know each other a little more. But, the main reason was so that she could contact him if she ever got into trouble, not that he’d tell her that.  The two said their goodbyes and William left the building. He had a vampire to get back home. 

Needless to say, the detective was exhausted from her day out - even with a month without decent sleep. Chase had ran around LA, mostly shops, like a kid in a candy store as he hunted down things to send his kids not that Bambi minded, she actually enjoyed helping but the man did need to pace himself better. And then there was meeting and befriending Will, a whirlwind of a man who seemed to radiate chaotic energy but tried his best to repress it. He felt like home, that comforting warmth of an old friend and a part of her swore that she knew him better than her memories let on. Either way, she spent a wonderful amount of time with her best friend and had a fun time getting to know a new friend. Bambi couldn’t wipe the happy grin off of her face as she got ready for bed, her body rejoicing in the cool air from her AC while her mind rejoiced at the quick accomplishment of a new friendship. The feeling of being watched slowly started to crawl up on her, however, and suddenly the chill from the AC wasn’t so pleasant. A gulp bobbed in her throat as her weary eyes scanned the area. Landing on the windows that looked out onto the street below, an odd shadow loomed over them as if there was something blocking the moonlight from above which was impossible as all the floors had the same windows and no one left anything hanging out. 

Her eyes snapped over to the blinds. Why weren’t they closed again? Oh, right. Chase liked the moonlight. Bambi, enjoying her privacy and being slightly paranoid, usually had them closed so seeing them open was a bit jarring. The windows themselves were completely shut, practically sealed from their old age and moving them had a chance of breaking the aged frame. Steadying herself, she paced over to the other side of the room and gingerly grabbed at the drawstring, giving it a small tug to release the lock and guiding it down so it didn’t fall too quickly and snap. Hopefully, the fact that no one could look in would help ease her nerves but she doubted it. The feeling of eyes following her had been with her since she reentered Holden. She shook herself out of the panicking thoughts. William was right, she had work in the morning and she needed to get some sleep. 

After all, she was going to be very busy soon, even if she didn’t know it.


End file.
